Collapsible bed



S. T. RALICK COLLAPSIBLE BED Jan. 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept.6. 1951 INVENTOR: SAMUEL T. RALI CK ATT'YS Jan. 4, 1955 s. T. RALICK2,698,443

COLLAPSIBLE BED Filed Sept. 6, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. SAMUEL T.RALICK ATT'YS United States Patent COLLAPSIBLE BED Samuel T. Ralick,Highland, Ind.

Application September 6, 1951, Serial No. 245,312

2 Claims. (Cl. -99) This invention relates to a collapsible bed and moreparticularly to a bed for children which is collapsible and foldableinto a small compact portable unit.

It is an object of the invention to provide a collapsible bed in whichall of the structural parts are collapsible and yet remain attached toone another in collapsed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a collapsible bed in whichthe structural members are foldable and collapsible into a small unitsubstantially the same length as the corner members.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a collapsible bed inwhich some of the structural members fold upon one another and otherstelescope to form a compact unit.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be moreclearly understood upon a consideration of the following descriptiontaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein similarreference numerals are employed to designate similar parts in all of thefigures and in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the bed fully extended and providedwith fabric inserts between the structural members;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the structural elements of the bed inpartially collapsed and folded position;

Figure 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the novel clasp and latcharrangement of the invention for positively securing foldable framemembers in extended position;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the clasp of Figure 3in extended position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the clasp of Figures 3and 4 in partially folded position;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken from the lines 6-6 of Figure l; and

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken from the lines 7-7 of Figure 6.

According to the invention there is now provided a collapsible bed whichis rigid and secure in its extended position and in which all of theparts of the frame remain attached together. when the frame iscollapsed, folded and telescoped to form a lightweight, compact,portable unit. The upper, lateral and transverse frame members arefoldable downwardly and the lower lateral and transverse frame membersare foldable upwardly and the legs telescope into the corner posts, allfor the purpose of forming a small compact unit which is notsubstantially larger than the space occupied by the four posts. A latchmeans is provided to secure the two portions of a centrally pivotedframe member in longitudinal extension and means are provided forsecuring the telescoping legs to the corner posts at any desired pointof extension.

The invention will be described by reciting the details of oneparticular embodiment thereof but it should be understood that theinvention is not limited to this particular embodiment. With thisunderstanding in mind Figure 1 illustrates a bed 1 having corner posts2, 3, 4 and 5 at the four corners thereof and a pair of upper, lateralframe members 6 and 7 extending between the posts. The member 6 ispivotally secured to the post 2 by means of the rivet 8 which passesthrough an angle member (not shown) welded to the post 2. At theopposite end the member 6 is detachably and pivotally secured to anangle member 9 by means of the wing nut 10.

Similarly the member 7 is pivotally secured to the post 4 by means ofthe riveted connection 11 through the angle member 12 welded to the post4. At the opposite end the 2,698,443 Patented Jan. 4, 1955 member 7 isdetachably and pivotally secured to the angle member 13 on the post 3 bymeans of the wing nut 14. Since the end or transverse frame members 15and 16 are secured to the posts in the same manner as the members 6 and7, it will not be necessary to recite all of the details of theconnection. For the same reason it will not be necessary to recite allof the connections by which the lower lateral frame members 17 and 18and the lower end or transverse frame members 19 and 20 are secured totheir respective posts. A plurality of angle supports 21-21 are locatedbetween the lower frame members and the posts in order to provideadditional support for the frame members in extended position.

A fabric web 22 is supported on the frame member 15 by inserting themember 15 through a loop formed by folding the end of the web 22 uponitself and sewing the end thereof to the web. The web 22 is supported onthe corresponding lower end frame member 20 and passes across the bottomof the bed where it is supported by the lower end frame member 19 andthe upper frame member 16. Another web 23 is similarly supported on theupper lateral members 6 and 7 and passes across the bottom of the bedthereby forming a double layer of webbing with the web 22. The webmembers 22 and 23 may be made of any suitable material such as canvas,cotton duck, heavy netting and the like. The lighter weight, strongfibers such as nylon, may also be used where the advantage of lightweight will offset the additional expense.

Ornamental caps 24-24 are located at the top of each of the posts 2, 3,4 and 5 and the opposite ends of the posts are left open to receive thelegs 25, 26, 27 and 28. The legs are suitably made in a shape and sizesuch that they fit snugly within the hollow posts but at the same timeare slidably advanceable or retractable with respect to the posts. Forexample, the leg 26 having a foot portion 29 at the lower end thereof isadapted to fit within the post 3 and may be telescoped to form a memberonly slightly longer than the post 3. The leg 26 is preferably hollowand has a slot 30 extending lengthwise thereof and adapted to receivethe head of a bolt upon which the wing nut 31 is secured. When it isdesired to telescope the leg 26 with the post 3 it is necessary only toloosen the wing nut 31 and push the leg 26 into retracted position. Itwill be apparent of course that the leg 26 may take any suitableposition with respect to the post 3, as for example, its

1 partially retracted position as illustrated in Figure 2.

The bed is shown in partially folded position in Figure 2 and it will beobserved that the various frame members consist of two pieces pivotallyconnected for ease of folding. Since all of the frame members operate ina similar manner, it will be necessary to describe the operation of onlyone in order that the invention be fully understood. The lower lateralframe member 17 in Figure 2 is actually made up of two interconnectedparts 32 and 33 which are pivotally secured at the inner ends thereof bythe rivet 34. The particular arrangement at the pivotal connection willlie dgsscribed in greater detail with respect to Figures 3,

As previously stated each of the legs 25-28 is partially retracted ortelescoped into its corresponding post 2-5. It will also be observedwith respect to Figure 2 that the lower lateral frame members and thelower end members are all arranged to fold upwardly in one plane whilethe upper frame members are all arranged to fold downwardly in aparallel plane so that all come snugly together in a single smallpackage in fully folded position.

The clasp 35 illustrated in detail in Figures 3, 4 and 5 is employed forthe purpose of securing the two segments of a foldable frame member inlongitudinally extended position. For example, the element 32 and theelement 33 of the lower lateral frame member 17 are adapted to bepivotally secured to one another by means of the rivet 34. The rivet issecured to the member 32 and slidably engages an elongated opening 36adjacent the end of the element 33. A second rivet 37 is fixed to theelement 32 at a position slightly more remote from the end than therivet 34. An extended portion of the rivet 37 is adapted to receive thedetent 38 in the end of the member 33 when the members are in theirfully extended relationship. Lateral movement of the elements 32 and 33with respect to one another in extended, locked position is prevented bymeans of the latch 39 which is pivotally secured to the member 33adjacent'the detent-3&andisprovided with its own detent 40. The latch 39is movable to advanced position where it contacts the'rivet 37 andprevents lateral movement ofthe members 32 and 35.

In'the sectional'view illustrated'in Figure 6 the-overlapping of the twowebs123 and -22-at-the bottom of the bedis ciearly shown. Likewisethe'mannerin which the leg 28 telescopes into the post ismore fullyillustrated. In Figure'7 the detailed'cross sectional view shows thepost s as beingsquare and hollow andhavingthe wing bolt "41 andthewingnut-42 associatedtherewith. The leg 28 is shown asbeing'square'andhollow and having an elongated opening 43 thereinadaptedto 'receive'the flangedhead ofthe bolt 41. :By'tighteningthe wingnut 42 it-becomes possible to securetheleg 28 inany desired poe sitionwith respect to the post 5 and thjsiarran'gement has the advantage thatthe bed may be lowered or raised through practically the full length ofthe-leg in order to adjust it to varying uses.

lt is contemplated that the posts of the bedwill-be made ofany suitablesquare,rectangular,- round or oblong metal tubing so long as'thepostsare adapted to receive telescoping legs ofa-complementary shapeand'slightlysm-aller size. For example, it may be suitable to maketheposts ofsquare light weight metal tubing 1" by 1"- in-size. The legs arethen fabricated from. square 'tubing'of a similar material in by size.The metaltubing' may be ordinary steel or iron tubingor it maypreferably-be 'a light weight metal or alloy such as-aluminum magnesiumor stainless steel. may likewise be fabricated from aluminum, magnesiumor-mild carbon steel-in the form of solid-rods or bars, orround'orsquare tubing. When'the device is-fabricated of such lightweightmetals it is more easily portable and when folded andcollapsed,-it takes the form of a :s'mall compact bundle which maysuitably be held tightly in compacted form by means of the strap 44.:(Fig. 1.)

Numerousembodiments other than that disclosed herein-in-detail forpurposesof illustration will .-be suggested to-one familiar with theart. It is contemplated'that the invention shall include suchembodiments provided the'y fall within thescope of'the appended claims.

, The invention is-hereby claimedas follows: I

IPA collapsible bed comprising. corner posts, aiplurality of upperlateral and end framemembers and-a simi-' lar plurality of lower lateraland end frame-members, each of said frame members being; pivotallymounted at one end on a corner postand detachably,r. pivotallymounted atthe other end on another post,-s'aid'upper frame ment- The variousfoldable'frame members wardly and said lower frame -members beingcentrallyslidably pivoted for folding upwardly, clasp means for securingeach said frame member in longitudinal extension including a flangedrivet mounted on one section of said member, a complementary detent inthe other section of said member and a latch mounted adjacent saiddetent and adapted for contact with said rivet, a plurality of legsextending from said posts and adapted to telescope into said posts inretracted position, and means to secure said legs in extendedposition. H

2. A collapsible bed'comprising'corner posts, a plurality of upperlateral and end framemembers and a sim-ilar plurality of lower lateraland end'fr'ai'ne membersg'eaeh of said frame membe'rsbeing pivotallymounted at one end on a corner post and detachably, pivotally mounted atthe other end on another post, said upper frame members being centrally"slidably pivoted for folding downwardly and said lower frame membersbeing centrally 'slidably pivoted for folding upwardly, clasp means forsecuring each said frame memberin longitudinal extension -;includ-- ing-a-flanged rivet mounted on-onesection'ofsaid member, a complementarydetent in the othersection'ofsaid member and a latch mounted adjacentsaid detentand adapted for contact with said rivet, a flexible Webremoy= ably supported at opposite endsthereof by and slidably movableon-"said respective'upper lateral frame members and also extendingaround said lower lateral'frame men;-

1, bers outwardly thereof, a second flexible web -removably wardlythereof, a plurality of legs extending from said post's supported atopposite ends thereofbyand slidably-movable on said respective upper endframe members andalso extending around said lowerendframe; membersoutand adapted to telescope into said posts-in retracted positionyandmeans to secure said legs in'eXtended-position.

Referri'ces Gited-in meme ofthis patent Aarestad -a Nov. 13, =ll

